# Farewell Tours that really were farewell **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740 "2017-08-15T20:27:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/1 "2017-08-15T20:27:48Z")
The first rock concert I ever attended was the Los Angeles stop on The Who’s 1982 “Farewell Tour”. 7 years later they were back, and have toured every few years since then. It seems like many bands can’t make it stick. Ozzy Osbourne’s retirement lasted about 2 years. Kiss was back on the road 3 years after their farewell tour. Heck, one of the most famous “farewell shows” was The Band’s The Last Waltz, and they came back 6 years later, albeit without Robbie Robertson. So who was actually gone away and stayed away after they said they were hanging it up? Criteria: 1. The tour/show has to be announced as the farewell one in advance (so no The Cars calling it quits in the middle of the tour and going home, no Beatles on the rooftop) 2. No subsequent live shows other than Hall of Fame induction or other award ceremony reunions. 3. It’s been at least 10 years since they went away. The only one I can think of is The Ramones. Their advertised-in-advance last show in 1996 really was the last one, and since the original members are all dead, it’s safe to say no reunion is coming. Too soon to say: I have a feeling Motley Crue will be back, despite claiming they were done 2 years ago. Last year, the Go-Go’s explicitly left the door open to doing one-off shows. They merely ruled out any future _tours_. So, who else has announced they were quitting, this is your last chance to see us live, and meant it? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/2 "2017-08-15T21:51:37Z")
Not to be ghoulish about it, but Glen Campbell’s final tour was absolutely final, although he did go into the studio for a last album. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/3 "2017-08-15T23:10:33Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > The first rock concert I ever attended was the Los Angeles stop on The Who’s 1982 “Farewell Tour”. 7 years later they were back, and have toured every few years since then. One report I just read said the Who have staged ten different farewell tours. The most recent was in 2015. And they’ve already come back from that one. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/4 "2017-08-15T23:31:02Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Not to be ghoulish about it, but Glen Campbell’s final tour was absolutely final, although he did go into the studio for a last album. Dying should be against the rules-the tours should cease by choice. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/5 "2017-08-15T23:52:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Dying should be against the rules-the tours should cease by choice. But then, how do you know it’s really their last tour? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/6 "2017-08-15T23:54:34Z")
the who did joke in 1982 that it was their first farewell tour. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/7 "2017-08-15T23:59:18Z")
In all fairness, Glen Campbell advertised it was his last tour because he had come down with Alzheimer’s Disease. He would have quit regardless of his death. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/8 "2017-08-16T00:20:33Z")
Didn’t \*Babylon 5 \*have an episode which featured a “Rolling Stones Farewell Tour” poster on the wall in the Zocalo? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/9 "2017-08-16T02:06:30Z")
Was the Police tour in 2007 billed as a farewell tour? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/10 "2017-08-16T03:15:12Z")
Yes I am purposely ignoring your criteria. It was only a few years ago but Rush had its last tour on their 40th anniversary. Although it’s possible they will play in a limited way in the future health issues will mean they can’t tour. Alex Lifeson has very painful arthritis. Neil Peart has bad tendonitis. They just can’t keep it going. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/11 "2017-08-16T14:50:46Z")
I’ll suggest Cream. They don’t exactly fit rule #2, because they did do a handful of live shows in London and New York back in 2005, but there was no full-fledged reunion tour. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/12 "2017-08-16T15:00:44Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Didn’t \*Babylon 5 \*have an episode which featured a “Rolling Stones Farewell Tour” poster on the wall in the Zocalo? Yes, I think it was Signs and Portents, a huge episode for the show as well. I felt like Alice In Chains concerts after their “tripod self-titled” album were farewell concerts. Layne did die, but they have resumed as many others have and continued going. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/13 "2017-08-16T15:12:09Z")
Isn’t **The Band’s The Last Waltz** the ultimate example of this? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/14 "2017-08-16T17:06:57Z")
How odd it is to realize The Who have carried on longer since the “Farewell Tour” than the length of their career before the farewell! Personally I’m glad to have had the chance to see them in the intervening years (with the possible exception of “The Who on Ice” tour which was a major yawn). They really delivered on the 2000 tour and the “Quadrophenia and More” shows were excellent. Roger’s voice may be shot but Pete still puts on a masterclass on how to play rock guitar. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/15 "2017-08-16T17:22:53Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Isn’t **The Band’s The Last Waltz** the ultimate example of this? From Robbie Robertson’s point of view, that’s probably true. It was his idea to break up after the concert and film. But as I mentioned in the OP, the rest of the band reunited and resumed touring in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/16 "2017-08-16T17:29:30Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > From Robbie Robertson’s point of view, that’s probably true. It was his idea to break up after the concert and film. But as I mentioned in the OP, the rest of the band reunited and resumed touring in the 80s. Argh! :smack: Sorry I missed that in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/17 "2017-08-16T17:40:59Z")
Too soon to tell, yes, but Motley Crue did in fact sign a “cessation of touring” document to prove that this was their last tour. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/18 "2017-08-16T18:10:37Z")
The Beta Band (probably best known for Johm Cusack saying he was about to sell five copies of one of their albums in _High Fidelity_) had a farewell tour in, IIRC, 2004. It’s held up since then. They come to mind for me because their greatest hits album that I own had their farewell concert as a second CD. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/19 "2017-08-16T20:25:13Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > From Robbie Robertson’s point of view, that’s probably true. It was his idea to break up after the concert and film. But as I mentioned in the OP, the rest of the band reunited and resumed touring in the 80s. I saw them twice in the 80s. Once they opened for CSN and they were also one of the opening bands at Rogers Waters The Wall concert at the Berlin Wall. They also played as part of the back up band during portions of The Wall. Without Robertson I still don’t consider it the real version. Now only Garth and Robbie remain. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740/20 "2017-08-16T20:32:20Z")
I’m not a fan so I might have missed it but didn’t ABBA stay retired? (A quick search shows rumors for 2018) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-tours-that-really-were-farewell/793740.md?page=2)